QR would have been better retraining current guards as driver, going to driver-only operation, and doubling the frequency.

Roderick.

May 8 2017 Qld Rail trains more guards after bungle.More than 250 applicants have been selected for trainee guard positions at Queensland Rail, as the organisation continues to deal with the fallout from issues which led to a series of bungles last year.Queensland Deputy Premier Jackie Trad said 255 candidates have been chosen for trainee guard positions, 25 per cent more than recommended by the Strachan Report into a series of rostering blunders brought on by insufficient staff.About 250 people have applied for guard positions at Queensland Rail. Photo: Tammy Law ."We are also in the process of selecting another 100 drivers, they are going through the full recruitment and selection process right now, and 70 per cent of those drivers have passed the psychometric testing," Ms Trad said on Monday.Forty guards have already been trained and are active on the southeast Queensland rail network.As the government tried to reassure commuters that action was being taken to address the train crew shortage, commuters on the Cleveland line were on Monday fuming over a train breakdown that doubled their commute time.Charlie Stevens boarded a city-bound train at Manly, a trip that usually takes about 45 minutes.But he was still on the train after an hour and a half, due to a broken down train further up the line."The trains frequently break down or are delayed. And I'm still baffled about their decision to use three-car trains during peak hour."Just a fortnight ago, Mr Stevens endured another long commute on the same line, when a train was inexplicably held up at a station platform.At one point, a woman stuck on the train began to panic."She was getting claustrophobic, starting to panic and she was like 'I've got to get off this train, I've got to get off this train!'."It came as the government continued to work on new trains ordered from India which have a number of problems including braking, line-of-sight issues and disability access.Ms Trad admitted the cost of the $4.4 billion project is expected to rise due to the work, but they will have more trains available for next year's Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast.AAP www.theage.com.au/queensland/qld-rail-t ... w00fj.html